BEGAWAN GITA

Menyelamatkan Jalak Bali yang Terancam Punah Melalui Konservasi

A photo of Bali Starlings perched on a nest box, highlighting the Begawan Foundation's efforts to protect and restore their population.

Sejak tahun 1999, tim Yayasan Begawan tanpa henti merawat dan membesarkan Jalak Bali yang terancam punah di kandang penangkaran mereka.

Selama lebih dari 24 tahun, Yayasan telah memimpin program konservasi perintis untuk memulihkan populasi Jalak Bali di alam liar. Upaya ini tidak hanya dilakukan di pusat penangkaran, tetapi juga di sekolah-sekolah lokal, kantor pemerintahan, taman margasatwa, dan desa-desa di Bali.

Inside the Breeding Centre

Begawan Gita adalah salah satu pusat penangkaran terbaik di Bali. Berlokasi di Desa Melinggih Kelod sejak 2018, kandang-kandang dirancang oleh seorang dokter hewan dan diperbarui beberapa kali untuk memastikan kualitas. Kandang dilengkapi mangkuk makan, tempat mandi, kotak sarang, dan peralatan lain yang meniru habitat alami Jalak Bali.

Kawanan penangkaran Begawan, sekitar 45 ekor, ditempatkan di tiga kandang terpisah. Kandang karantina digunakan untuk burung baru sampai mereka diperiksa kesehatannya. Burung dari program pengasuhan masyarakat lokal menjadi bagian dari program penangkaran dan pelepasan.

A close-up of a Bali Starling's leg with a metal band and green tag, being held by a researcher at Begawan Gita.
A view of the Begawan Gita breeding center, showcasing the spacious enclosures designed to mimic the natural habitat of Bali Starlings.

Setiap tahun, Begawan Gita menargetkan pelepasan 20 Jalak Bali ke alam liar. Lokasi pelepasan dinilai untuk memastikan ketersediaan makanan dan perlindungan dari pemangsa. Tim konservasi bekerja sama dengan masyarakat setempat untuk memantau pergerakan burung.

Burung yang dipilih untuk pelepasan diberi cincin ID dan mikrochip untuk identifikasi. Penjaga burung memantau pasangan burung selama sebulan, menyediakan makanan hingga burung dapat mencari sendiri.

A person's hands placing a mixture of fruits and insects into small bowls for Bali Starlings at the Begawan Gita breeding center.

Pre- and post-release care

Every year Begawan Gita aims to release 20 Bali Starlings, or 10 pairs, into selected release site. The Foundation conducts in-depth assessments of its release sites, checking the areas for the natural predators and disturbances such as smoke and noise. The sites are surveyed to ensure they have sufficient food, water, and nesting resources for the birds to thrive. Begawan’s conservation team must maintain connections to local people in the villages near its release sites. Their assistance is essential in tracking the birds’ movements, and the villagers are often first to notify the team of any incidents related to the birds’ wellbeing.

A person carefully tending to a young Bali Starling chick in a nest box at the Begawan Gita breeding center.
A nest box surrounded by a protective net, providing a secure breeding site for Bali Starlings in their natural habitat.

Long before any pairs are released, the conservation team tags newly hatched Bali Starlings with metal rings around their legs. These metal rings allow the birdkeeper to identify each birds and tell the birds reared in the Centre apart from others born in the wild. The rings are slipped over the birds’ claws at about 10 days old, and the ID number recorded in the program’s studbook. All births and deaths are reported to BKSDA (Natural Resource Conservation Centre). Birds chosen for release are also microchipped under the skin, using chips purchased from Trovan Microchips Australia, to enable the Begawan Gita team to track them if they are poached.

For one month after release, Begawan’s birdkeeper will monitor the birds twice a day. The birdkeeper may put out food in the early days until the pair can find their own food sources. When a pair of Bali Starlings shows an inclination to a particular area, the birdkeeper will look for natural holes where the birds can nest. If there are none, the birdkeeper will install a plywood nestbox, with a metal protector on the pole to prevent climbing predators from reaching the nest. After a month has passed, the birds are checked weekly, and any new Bali Starlings born in the wild are carefully monitored by the team.

A Bali Starling perched on a tree trunk, with a clear blue sky in the background.
Two photographers taking pictures of the Bali Starlings from afar

Education for communities

Apart from the breeding and releasing of Bali Starlings, Begawan has also actively raised awareness for the importance of conservation among the island’s residents and visitors.

Selain penangkaran, Begawan meningkatkan kesadaran konservasi melalui kursus 10 minggu yang mengajarkan pelestarian lingkungan kepada 2.500 siswa di 25 sekolah. Yayasan juga mengadakan lokakarya dan pelatihan untuk mendukung konservasi di desa-desa.

Begawan Foundation held community workshops in villages where its Bali Starlings were released, educating more than 300 people about the plight of the Bali Starling and enlisting villagers’ support in protecting the birds in their neighborhoods. The organisation also conducted extensive training in professional breeding and care for Bali Starlings at Base Bali, and Bali Safari and Marine Park.

A pair of Bali Starlings perched on a birdhouse, showcasing the success of conservation efforts.

Di Begawan Guru, kurikulum mencakup pelestarian spesies dan advokasi lingkungan bagi 45 siswa dari desa sekitar. Tur berpemandu ke pusat penangkaran diluncurkan pada 2022 untuk membawa kisah Jalak Bali ke audiens global.

Upaya Begawan diakui pada 2015 dengan penghargaan Tri Hita Karana Nugraha, yang mengapresiasi organisasi luar biasa yang memperkuat nilai-nilai Bali.

Begawan Gita terbuka untuk kunjungan, hanya 20 menit dari Ubud. Untuk informasi lebih lanjut atau pemesanan tur, hubungi hello@begawan.org.